EACH Breath: a Blog by the American Lung Association

Breathing is essential to life, and through this blog, we hope to illustrate the importance of lung health. Hear directly from experts, researchers, staff and volunteers about our ongoing fight for healthy lungs and healthy air.

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Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, killing more than 480,000 Americans a year. For 17 years, our “State of Tobacco Control” report has tracked and graded efforts to reduce tobacco use by state and federal governments. Over this time, the tobacco prevention and quit smoking policies called for in our report have been a remarkable public health success story, resulting in record lows for both adult and youth cigarette smoking rates. However, new factors, especially the dramatic rise of e-cigarette use among youth warn us that this hard-won success could be fleeting.

Recent Articles

You’ve cleaned the house, spritzed with perfume, lit candles, and built a roaring fire - you’re all set for a romantic Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart, right? Think again! You might be surprised to learn that all of the above - and lots more - can cause indoor air pollution in your home.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, killing more than 480,000 Americans a year. For 17 years, our “State of Tobacco Control” report has tracked and graded efforts to reduce tobacco use by state and federal governments. Over this time, the tobacco prevention and quit smoking policies called for in our report have been a remarkable public health success story, resulting in record lows for both adult and youth cigarette smoking rates. However, new factors, especially the dramatic rise of e-cigarette use among youth warn us that this hard-won success could be fleeting.

At the end of 2018, according to press reports, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had early stage lung cancer surgically removed. Justice Ginsburg had what physicians call an "incidental finding." It was widely reported that Ginsburg's cancer was found during tests she received while being treated for a rib fracture. In other words, while physicians were treating her for something else, they stumbled upon early stage lung cancer. This is not entirely uncommon. Pulmonary nodules (small growths in the lung) are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Most of these nodules are not cancerous, or benign. They can be caused by previous infections or illnesses and sometimes there is no known cause. Some small lung nodules will turn out to be lung cancer.

Lung cancer is caused when cells in the lung mutate or change. Researchers have spent decades trying to understand what causes these cells to mutate. Most lung cancers are caused when someone repeatedly breathes in toxic substances. However, for some people, the cause of their lung cancer is never known.

You’ve tested your home for radon as we keep urging you to, and, surprise! You discover your levels are dangerously high. Now what? First, relax: you’re not alone. One in 15 homes across the country tests positive for dangerous levels of radon, an invisible, odorless gas that causes lung cancer.

Before a vaccine was introduced in the late 1940s, pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, was a leading cause of childhood illness and death in the United States. The vaccine was so effective that the number of cases in the U.S. went from more than a million diagnosed between 1940-1945, to less than 3,000 a year by the mid-1980s.

Najee Richardson, a former gymnast, is well-known as one of three 2018 finalists in NBC’s American Ninja Warrior championship. The action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle challenging obstacle courses in both city qualifying and city final rounds across the country. Those who successfully complete the finals course in their designated region move on to the national finals round in Las Vegas, where they face a four-stage obstacle course, competing for a cash prize.

Behind every fight for breath, there’s a story: a husband who battles through long and difficult treatment. A mom who keeps going for her son. A dad who inspires his kids to ensure no one has to suffer like him.Every story is a reminder that this community will do whatever it takes to stop lung disease, for ourselves and for others. We wanted to share a snapshot of these people, their lives and those who love them.

You watch sunsets or movies or birds. You wait for buses or amusement park rides or your turn in line. But what do watching and waiting have to do with lung cancer? It can seem counterintuitive to a lung cancer patient for their doctor to recommend "watchful waiting" or “active surveillance” as the right course of action for treating their lung cancer tumor.